Chad Gadya
by KirolaiSemperFi
Summary: ...that killed the butcher, that slew the ox, that drank the water, that burned the fire, that--" "STOP! TURN IT OFF!"


**DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Never will be.**

"Alright! Alirght! Just stop it already!" With both hands clamped tigthly over his ears, Tony looked impatiently at Abby. "Turn it off!"

"I can't!" Abby tried shouting over the loud volume of her stereo. "It's not working!"

"What?!" Tony took a hand off one of his ears to try to hear what the forensic scientist had just said. He regretted it deeply, moving quickly to block out the music again. "Why don't you turn it off?!"

Helplessly, Abby picked up the stereo remote, dramatically trying to press the mute button. "It's broken!" She tried to explain again.

Tony snatched the remote from her, hitting it with his palm. "It's broken!" He repeated, unaware that Abby was trying to tell him just that. "Why's it broken!?"

Abby shrugged. "I dunno! Just make it work!"

_...that killed the butcher, that slew the ox, that drank the water..._

"Why were you even playing it?!" Tony slammed the remote against the lab table.

"It's catchy!" Abby replied defensively. "Admit it!"

"Not when it's been replaying for ten minutes straight!"

"The CD must be broken!"

_...that quenched the fire, that burnt the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat..._

"What?!"

"The CD!" Abby pointed towards the boombox. "It must be broken or something!"

"Oh!" Tony nodded, and moved closer to the shelf that held the boombox on top of it. He reached down for the cord, pulling it abruptly as soon as he grabbed a hold of it. "Thank God!"

"Geez!" Abby let go of her ears, smiling at Tony. "Thank you."

"No problem, Abs." Tony shook his head in an attempt to get the repeating song out. "So why were you playing it, again?"

Abby remained smiling. "It's catchy."

"No. It's annoying."

"Well I like it."

"Even after this?"

"Not so much anymore."

"Heh." Tony turned as he saw two people enter the lab. "You guys missed the party," he addressed Ziva and McGee.

"What music were you guys playing?" Ziva asked.

"Oh," Abby looked at Tony. "Chad Gadya."

"Know it?" Tony asked.

Ziva nodded, smiling. "I grew up listening to that nursery song."

"Did you?" McGee asked.

"Yes. I thought I heard it on my way down here!"

"Isn't it catchy?" Abby asked.

"Very. I used to sing it for my sister, Tali, and..."

"And what?" Tony asked expectantly. He knew what she was about to say, but couldn't help himself from questioning her.

"My brother used to sing it for me." Ziva continued.

The four of them stayed quiet for a minute of awkward silence, until Abby moved to wrap Ziva in a tight bear hug, catching her off balance.

"Aw, Ziva!"

Tony and McGee gave each other the same look; was this about to get emotional?

Ziva, however, patted Abby on the back. "What...what is this for, Abby?"

"For being back!" Abby had shown, in a variety of ways, her thanks for Ziva's return to the team. It was, afterall, hardest on the gothic forensic scientist, who couldn't get over the situation for a while.

"I've been back for a week already!" Ziva said. "I'm not going anywhere!"

"You better not!" Abby said.

Slowly, Ziva pulled away from the bear hug, trying to breathe normally again after being nearly squeezed to death. "I would never make the same mistake again. If I did--"

"--you'd hafta sing for us," Tony finished.

"Sing?" Ziva rose her eyebrows. "Why sing?"

"Because you rock at it!" Abby typed into her computer, bringing up last night's footage of the squad room.

In it, everyone could clearly see Ziva staying long after the working day.

"How did you get that?"

Instead of answering, Abby raised the volume on the computer, until all of them could hear Ziva's soft accent forming a sweet, smooth tune.

McGee and Tony immediately smiled, looking happily at their now-blushing partner.

"Sounds great!" McGee exclaimed.

"Not when people are watching," Ziva admitted.

"Oh come on!" Abby paused the footage. "With a voice like that, you could win American Idol!"

"That singing show?"

"Yeah!"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I only sing when the situation demands it." Ziva admitted.

"So, being alone at night demands you to sing to no one?" Tony pressed.

Ziva sighed. That did sound pretty stupid. "Well, I have no audience, and--"

"We'll be your audience!" Abby clapped.

"What do I sing?" Ziva wanted to get this over with quickly before Gibbs came down to look for them.

Tony opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off when Ziva pressed a finger to his lips.

"Not you! McGee, pick something." Ziva wiped her finger off on the side of her jeans, waiting for a suggestion.

"I dunno." McGee thought for a moment. "Abby, you pick."

"Chad Gadya!"

"NO!" Tony instinctively clapped his hands over his ears. "No more!"

"I won't turn on the music," Abby insisted, causing Tony to alowly drop his hands.

"I can't really sing that on my own," Ziva said slowly.

"We'll sing with you," McGee offered.

"Really? You know Hebrew?"

"English, of course."

Taking in a deep breath, Ziva began.

********************************************************************************************************************

"I don't know where they are, Leon, but when I find them, I'll let you know!" Gibbs pressed the down button in the elevator, leaving Director Vance on the top floor of the building.

Where on Earth was his team? He left for not even ten minutes, and they had all disappeared to somewhere! Maybe he should have Abby put those GPS things on everyones shoes again...? Nah! He wasn't a babysitter! Besides, they were adults, and he was only responsible for them when they got in trouble with the Director or pissed someone high up in the political branches.

The doors slid open two levels below the squadroom, and Gibbs stepped out. He made his way towards Abby's lab, but stopped when he realized that the door was in fact closed.

"Odd." Gibbs whispered as he slowly pulled it open.

"...That drank the fire, that burned the stick, that beat the dog, that bit the cat, that ate the goat, which my father bought for two zuzim. Chad Gadya...."

Surprised to see and hear his team singing, along with Abby's dancing, Gibbs kept the door only slightly ajar. He smiled as he saw Ziva, Tony, and McGee standing in a semi-ircle around Abby. Both men were attempting to keep in tune with Ziva's beautiful voice, only hitting off key every few notes.

When they finished, the four oblivious NCIS members smiled at one another.

"We make a good singing quartet!" Tony admitted.

Gibbs spoke up at this time. "Too bad I don't pay you all to sing."

"Gibbs!" Ziva turned an instant shade of red, hiding behind the two other field agents.

"Boss!" Tony and McGee hid their embarassment, or at least tried to.

"Please," Gibbs mocked an apology, "don't let my interruption stop you."

"We--"

"Tony and McGee--"

"It's Chad Gadya, Boss---"

Gibbs held up a hand. "Just...get upstairs. The Director wants to see us."

Hurriedly, Ziva, McGee, and Tony flew past Gibbs, avoiding eye contact. They waited patiently in the elevator as Gibbs gave Abby a smile.

"It's great that she's back, Gibbs." Abby said.

Gibbs only nodded. "Yeah. I know, Abs."

**A/N: So...how's it going with everyone? Hmm? So...tomorrow is yet another NCIS new episode!! (Cheering). And I have just received my requested autograph from Mr. David McCallum! I'm so happy! I'll try putting it up when I figure out how to do that!!**


End file.
